Parental Guidance (Ice Knights #1)(14)

“Are you concerned, Jasper?” Asha asked, her voice filled with concern that almost sounded heartfelt. “What is your advice to your daughter about dating someone who didn’t stop others from saying something like that?”

Jasper paused, pursing his lips together as he looked up at the ceiling, obviously trying to get his thoughts in order. “I think we all make mistakes at some point in our lives, but we should try to judge a person on the totality of what they’ve said and done.” He pivoted so he had a direct line of sight to the cameras. “I know I did when I got into a fender bender. The good folks at Miller’s Mechanical fixed me right up, and I made sure not to put myself in a position where I was going to run into someone’s bumper again.”

Asha cleared her throat, her grip on the index cards she held getting tight enough that they bent. “You certainly seem to have a lot of friends, Jasper.”

“He’s a walking commercial,” Britany said, rolling her eyes.

Jasper shrugged off the insult. “I guess I’m the kind of guy who likes to recognize a job well done and give an encouraging word here and there. I figured that as a coach, you’d appreciate that.”

Before Caleb’s mom could fire off a retort, Asha broke in. “Coach Stuckey, what made you think taking over your son’s dating life was a good idea? Isn’t that a little excessive? What’s next, calling the Ice Knights’ front office to get him out of hot water?”

“Well,” Britany said, her voice taking on the tone she used with a player who’d made the same mistake for the hundredth time. “He’d obviously made a mess of it, and as a mom, I wanted to help.”

Asha cocked her head to one side. “It didn’t seem a little overreaching to you?”

“Like I’m being a helicopter parent on steroids?” Britany let loose with her signature snort-chuckle. “Hell yes it did, but here I am because family is family, even when they mess up.”

“So what do you think of his date?” Asha asked. “What has he told you about how it went?”

“It sounded to me like it went well, and when we saw her outside just now, I gotta say you could tell they’re a little taken with each other. It really showed in their body language.”

“Who wouldn’t be taken with Zara?” Jasper asked. “She’s amazing.”

Britany crossed her arms and glared at Zara’s dad. “No shout-out to her hairdresser?”

He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t like what you’re implying.”

“The place where she gets her high heels?” Caleb’s mom continued.

Jasper fiddled with his tie, looking like a rookie who’d just tossed his gloves down before a fight with a veteran and was beginning to realize how much trouble he was in. “You can be snide all you want, but the fact that she’s willing to go out on another date with your son really shows how much of a kind person she is, and you can’t buy that in a store.”

An unnatural silence wrapped around everyone in the studio. Even the people who didn’t know Britany seemed to be hanging on the edge of the oh-shit moment.

“Sounds to me, Jasper,” Asha said, pulling them all back from the brink, “as if you’re not really all that taken with the idea of Zara dating Caleb.”

“I have some reservations.” Taking a visible gulp, Jasper cut a glance over to Britany before his attention skittered away. “B-b-but I’m trying to keep an open mind.”

Britany snorted.

Asha turned to Caleb, her smile cooling by at least twenty degrees. “What about you, Caleb? Are you taken with Zara, or is she just another nameless puck bunny?”

He could feel his breath hitching as what felt like the attention of Harbor City’s entire population zoomed in on him. In half a heartbeat, he was that kid standing in front of his class trying to read the daily announcements while the letters moved around on the page. He could feel individual droplets of sweat on the back of his neck, and the urge to get up and leave was almost overwhelming.

“Yeah, I do like her,” he said, the words coming out fast and untested. He really should have practiced this bit. Just remember you’re the one who is supposed to be already half in love. “I knew it the first time I spotted her and she came crashing into me that there would be sparks between us. She owns her own business, she’s creative, she speaks her mind, all of which are really attractive, and that’s before you even get to the fact that she’s totally hot. Zara is the total package. I could totally see myself falling for her.”

It sounded almost as stilted as Jasper’s commercial pitches, but he had to brazen through it.

“And if I told you she’d said no to going on a second date?” Asha asked.

That metaphorical kick in the balls was enough to make him slam his mouth shut hard enough to rattle his teeth. “Really?”

“Just teasing.” Asha laughed, each word sharp as his skate’s blades. “She’s right here, so let’s ask her. Zara, are you going to say yes to a second date or follow the advice of Harbor City’s women in our morning flash poll?” She pivoted to look straight into the camera. “While we’ve been talking, our viewers have been voting. Sixty-eight percent of the ladies voted that Zara should have been one and done. Yes or no to another date, Zara?”